Mixology, part one

© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedCHAPTER 10MIXOLOGY, PART ONE© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedUnderstand all drink components and their relationship.Decide on the method, equipment ingredients used for each drink.Know how ingredients are measured. Explain and demonstrate various mixing methods.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedTHIS CHAPTER WILL HELP YOUA BRIEF HISTORY OF MIXOLOGYThe origin of the word cocktail for a mixed drink is unknown and may have developed from several historical events.In the art of mixology, the emphasis is on quality. Spirits and garnishes are readily available from all over the world.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedABOUT MIXED DRINKSThe term mixed drink includes any drink in which alcoholic beverages are mixed or added to one or more nonalcoholic ingredients.This includes cocktails, highballs, tall drinks, frozen drinks, coffee drinks, and almost every other bar product, with the exceptions of a glass of beer or wine or a straight shot of whiskey or brandy.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedTHE STRUCTURE AND COMPONENTS OF A MIXED DRINKMixed drinks share characteristics; one of these is a structure that is typical of the drink. Each drink has a major alcoholic ingredient, or base, usually a spirit.The base determines its character or predominant flavor.Complementary ingredients modify or enhance that flavor.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedDEVELOPING DRINK RECIPESA successful mixed drink is based on relationships between the ingredients.In addition to the list of ingredients, there are two other factors when creating a drink: Taste complexity Mixing-difficulty © 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedMEASURINGThere are various ways of measuring liquor in a drink recipe. The metered pour is measured and dispensed through a handgun or through pourers that shut off at the proper measure.A measured jigger is a tiny measuring cup.The free-pour involves turning the bottle with its pourer cap in place upside down for full-force flow.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedMIXING METHODSTo build a drink is to mix it step by step in the glass in which it will be served.To stir a drink is to mix the ingredients by stirring them with ice then straining.To shake a drink is to mix it by hand in a shaker or using a mechanical mixer.To blend a drink is to mix it in an electric blender.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedCOMMON MIXOLOGY TERMSBroken Ice: Large cubes, chopped down.Long: Five measures or more of fluid.Pour: To add to the glass without straining.Rim: To coat the edge (rim) of the glass by moistening it.Short: Fewer than five measures of fluid.Smooth: Blended with ice.Spiral: A long coil of citrus peel.Straight Up: Undiluted; no ice or water added.Strain: To filter out ice and other solids.Twist: A piece of citrus peel, about 1½ to 2½ inches.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedDRINK FAMILIESA highball is a mixture of a spirit and a carbonated mixer or water, served with ice in a highball glass.Fruit juice drinksMojitoBloody MaryHighballs can become tall; increase the amounts of everything in proportion—except for the liquor, which remains the same.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedLIQUOR ON ICEAnother type of drink built in the glass consists of one type of liquor served over ice.Spirits served over crushed ice in a cocktail glass or snifter instead of a rocks glass are known as frappes.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedTWO-LIQUOR DRINKS ON ICETwo-liquor drinks typically combine a jigger of a major spirit (whiskey, gin, rum, brandy, vodka, tequila) with a smaller amount of a flavorful liqueur, such as coffee, mint, chocolate, almond, anise, licorice.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedOLD-FASHIONED DRINKSIt is always built in the glass, it contains little or no mixer. Its traditional glass bears its name—a sturdy, all-business tumbler of 5 to 7 ounces.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedCOLLINSES, RICKEYS, BUCKS, COOLERS, AND SPRITZERSCharacteristics; Liquor, lemon juice, sugar, soda, cube ice, maraschino cherry garnish.Rickeys use lime instead of lemon and are a shorter, drier drink.The term wine cooler is a combination of wine plus fruit juice. When it is made with white wine and soda it is called a spritzer.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedLAYERED DRINKS“Coffeepusher”is the literal translation of the term pousse-café. A layered drink made by pouring ribbons of different colored liquids so that each remains separate.The secret of layering is to choose liqueurs of differing density and to “float” them in sequence from heaviest to lightest.(A partial list is given in Figure 10.6.)© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedCOFFEE DRINKS AND HOT LIBATIONSMany hot drinks can be traced back to the centuries when they supplied the only central heating available.Restaurants have developed specialty coffee drinks that double as desserts.Drink menus will showcase them and improve check averages during cold-weather months.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights ReservedSUMMING UPA mixed drink is any drink in which one alcoholic beverage is mixed with other ingredients.Drinks of similar structure and ingredients are known as drink families.When creating a mixed drink, take into account its taste complexity and the degree of mixing difficulty it requires.© 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.All Rights Reserved